Writing about drugs, and why

Chad Sabora, left, a former Cook County prosecutor and recovering addict, talks with Mary Jo Dunlap at an anti-heroin awareness rally in De Soto, Mo. (Sid Hastings, Chicago Tribune)

John Keilman

I have examined the culture of drugs in the suburbs for years, prompted by a rash of heroin overdose deaths that began to mount rapidly in the early 2000s. I've talked to many addicts, both active and recovering, and many experts, and this is what seems to be happening:

Cheap, super-pure heroin doesn't need to be injected to produce a potent rush (it can be snorted for effect, too), and that tempts young people far removed from the mean city streets into giving the drug a try. Also, a lot of kids are abusing narcotic pain relievers and, once they become physically dependent, some switch to the more affordable high of heroin. A small subculture of "heroin chic" also seems to play a role for some.

But heroin, for all its destructive power, is still a relative rarity. Alcohol is far and away the most abused substance among suburban teenagers, with marijuana coming up fast. Surveys show that fewer of today's teenagers view pot as harmful, and with legalization efforts gaining ground, it will be interesting to see how their attitudes change.